It often takes living in several NYC rentals before you figure out what you really want.
And, for a city where rentals are often tough to find in the right price range and where moving can be a real pain, it seems like a formidable effort for the future. But, if you talk with people who are happy in their apartments and who seem to have exactly what they always wanted, you’ll also find people who moved several times before they found it.

It is both different and yet the same regardless of whether you moved to New York City at some point in your life or whether you were born here.

First Considerations

When starting out on the initial quest for a NYC rental, it can be intimidating unless you’ve pockets lined with money, and even then it can be tough to find something you really like. The best apartment can later declare itself unworthy because of not having a view, too much noise, or poor maintenance. Those are all things that it is difficult to know about before moving in. Money is often the biggest consideration, and for many it means starting out in a fifth floor walk-up with a fire escape and a brick wall as the only view. Yet, one dreams.

The next apartment may have an elevator but not a doorman or a view but of rooftops.
But you’ve certainly ratcheted up a notch. We all continue to change, and our need in a New York City apartment change too. Early on, a kitchen may be of no more use than heating water to make coffee and housing a microwave, but down the line, entertaining and cooking may become much more important. You might acquire a dog for which you want more room and a nearby dog run. See how things change?

When To Stay Put

We all get a little inertia when it comes to moving. It’s tough going – getting a new place and then moving yourself there. Sometimes we stay where we are because we are lazy when a new apartment might just be the prescription for a better take on life. The real question is when to keep a place, and the answer is because you like it.

The apartment to stick with is the one, that for whatever reason, provides some excitement every day that you live in it. It has a view so amazing that you pinch yourself at times to see if it is real. It has space that is just right for you and your life style. It might be within walking distance to work or have a kitchen you can cook gourmet meals in. It might cost $1500 a month or $15,000, but there’s something about the place that gets you every day of the week. Those are the keepers, and we all keep searching until we find one.

Tipping NYC rental building employees is expected at Christmas time. While the whole notion is meant as a way to reward those who provide services throughout the year, it also isn’t meant to put you in debt. But now is the time to make the list and square away what you need to give out those envelopes when the time comes.

NYC Apartments and Giving

As you go to the bank and get a wad of cash, remember that the employees in your building actually count on Christmas tips. So much so that they factor it into what they consider their yearly salary. This is not just make nice time, it’s about paying up for them being nice and doing things for you during the year.

Here’s what to expect:

NYC apartment doormen should get between $25-100 because they are the ones you see the most. The $100 mark isn’t just for Fifth Avenue types either. Many tenants in smaller buildings throughout the city regularly shell out these amounts. Make it good or your cleaning will be lost sometime during the year.

Superintendents get more if they live on property and if you interact with them. In the hierarchy of buildings, they are the top person so their tip can go up to about $300. If you tip as things are done for you during the year, you can lessen the amount.

Porters and handymen should get about $15 to $50 each and again, it is if they’ve helped you during the year. If your building has elevator operators, which is fairly unusual these days, they should get about $40 each. After all, they stand there and look straight ahead when you are too tipsy to do anything but lean on the wall.

Now For Everyone Else

Tipping doesn’t end there when it comes to NYC rentals either. If you have a dog walker, cleaning lady, visiting trainer or masseuse, or other service type people that you work with on a consistent basis you’ll want to tip them at Christmas as well. Don’t forget your mail carrier either. They may be a federal employee but it is customary to give them $10 to $30. You may never have met them, but they know your name!

The Envelope Technique

You’ll find specially made cards and envelopes at your nearest newspaper store or pharmacy. They are meant to hold money. Most buildings provide a list of employees names, which helps when you don’t know the last names of your doormen. Some buildings will even provide boxes where you can drop all of your envelopes so you don’t have to track people down who work odd hours. If not, give all of the envelopes to the super, who will distribute them. Don’ forget to sign your name and your apartment number. After all, you want to get credit, and some of the building employees won’t know your name either.

New York City apartments come with a very complex requirement for a potential tenant’s amount of income. It is a convoluted formula which makes most people scratch their head in frustration and can seem like an invasion of privacy. But everyone must endure it and there is no other city in the world where just renting an apartment can seem so arcane.

But to understand these requirements and what to do if you can’t meet them is the key to renting your NYC apartment too.

How Much Do You Have To Make?

You have your eye on a good deal. It’s a $1500 a month NYC apartment that you know you can afford the rent on each month, so you leap at applying for it. Then the property manager or broker comes back to you saying that you don’t make enough money. What?! Here’s the formula most use: multiply the rental amount times fifty. If your salary is more than that figure, you can qualify for the apartment.

In order to prove this, you’ll need to provide your last few pay stubs and a letter from your employer on official letterhead saying that you are, indeed, employed there. If you are self-employed, your accountant will need to write a letter for you indicating your earnings for the last few years. Sounds invasive, doesn’t it? They may even want your tax returns and cancelled checks for your last few months rent where you currently live.

It’s all part and parcel of living in NYC!

Using A Guarantor

Students and others who have little financial background can often work out a lease agreement by using a guarantor. This person, be it parent or friend, will also have to hand over their personal information since they are co-signing the lease and are guaranteeing that you are able to pay the rent.

With the NYC rental market pretty much back to peak, there are often what seem like unreasonable demands for this information and, unfortunately, landlords can get away with it. Don’t be offended if you are asked for a guarantor even if you make the minimum amount of salary, have excellent credit and a good employment history.

The Flip Side Of The Equation

Step into the landlord’s shoes for a few minutes. Even with the large developers, a NYC apartment means income and the possibility of long term non-payment and eviction proceedings is costly for them. An apartment is their asset and if they rent to people who can’t afford the rent, months can go by before they can effect evictions and re-rent the unit. They want to be sure that their tenants can pay and will pay on time. It’s only fair.

Welcome to the world of NYC rentals but once you get in, you won’t want to live anywhere else in the world.

Two bedroom NYC rentals have always been the workhorse of all apartments in the city.
It didn’t matter whether it was in Manhattan or in areas of the outer boroughs either. They worked for families, they worked for roommates, and they worked for singles who needed home office space.

When the recession hit, these staples on the NYC apartment scene took a real hit.
If roommates couldn’t double up, they moved into larger apartments with more sharing the monthly rent. Families moved to the suburbs for cheaper rents. Those who worked at home often no longer had the income to pay for the extra space. The market share that two bedroom units had long held plummeted, and many sat vacant.

Finding A Two Bedroom NYC Apartment

Manhattan rentals are always tough and depending on the neighborhood, finding a ow bedroom can still be pricey. Hot areas like the East Village or SoHo have vacancies but at prices, which remain solidly high. The Upper East Side is the best bargain on the island. For those who have families or who don’t mind a bit of a commute, there are excellent bargains in Queens and in good areas of the Bronx.

Tenants, who are younger, and who want the two bedrooms for roommate situations still search in Manhattan for the convenience and the lifestyle. There are many smaller two bedrooms for the finding and this is the perfect time of year to make a move. November and December are two of the best months for vacancies and for getting the best price possible. It’s a good time to have all the paperwork in order and to be able to seize on a good deal if you find one.

The Market is Settling Down Again

New York rentals seem to have weathered the worst of the recession, and although the market has not reached its pre-recession price heights, it is climbing again. Anyone who has thought of moving up to a two bedroom situation and whose income is secure should think about getting out and looking. It’s one of those rare times when there are still deals to be found, and those deals can last for the lifetime of a lease.

Rentals in NYC is always speculative and it varies from neighborhood to neighborhood.
Those who moved into studios a couple of years ago to save money have now recouped and feel more confident. They are now looking to move and their leases are coming to an end.

Planning a family means planning for the required space, but also singles who just want the room are well advised to start looking at the listings this winter. It’s best to get moving while the market is still interesting and not as competitive as it once was or as it will no doubt become again.

The few landlords and property management companies in New York City who still allow pets in their buildings are to be applauded. It has become unfashionable for any number of reasons for buildings to prohibit pets these days, and the landlord who still permits them definitely has a heart.

For those who dislike dogs and cats, and who prefer not to live in proximity to them, the ratio of available apartments is in your favor. For those who love animals, finding a NYC apartment landlord who allows them is like finding a needle in a hay stack.

What Ruined The Tradition

Historically, New York City rentals were fairly pet friendly, but as too many tenants became bad neighbors because of their pets, many buildings decided to prohibit pets rather than deal with sticky situations. A constantly barking dog, fouling in the building, and the odd snap at a neighbor caused many good pet owners to either move or live in fear of eviction.

Threats of lawsuits, complaining tenants, and property managers who decided that dogs weren’t worth the trouble became the rule. During the 80’s, the popularity of pit bulls and other non-social dogs also hurt tenant dog owners who had gentler breeds. It became common that most building were no longer allowing dogs and many even excluded cats.

It also became common that pet owners would rent NYC apartments, who clearly didn’t allow pets because there was what was called the ‘three-month rule’. It was a hazy law that claimed that any tenant who housed a dog could not be evicted if they’d lived in the building for three months and where there had been no complaints. This law created many court cases, and the rulings were never clear cut, but on a case by case basis. Landlords didn’t want the expense of court, and thus cracked down even harder on the no pet policy.

The Situation Now

There are buildings that allow pets, and that is largely thanks to pet loving property owners or managers. They are not the rule however, and even they will ask for an extra pet deposit. They will also ask for references on your pet ownership abilities from your current landlord, and there’s good reason for doing this. They want to minimize their risk in allowing pets. When prospective tenants are up front about the size of their dog, the breed, and the fact that they own one, the managers who allow dogs are in a better position to lease and to keep everyone in the building happy.

There are so few buildings left in the city, who allow dogs, that the responsible pet owner works with their animal to promote great behavior and to be a good neighbor. This, in turn, will eventually create an atmosphere where more landlords may once again allow dogs in their buildings.

In the meanwhile, all dog owners thank those NYC rental property managers who do allow them.

It’s amazing in the world of NYC rental buildings that the attitude of many doormen changes from snarly or disinterested into the most helpful and friendly people imaginable – right after Thanksgiving. And, it is as clear as day that it all has to do with the Christmas tips they expect in a month.

A Doorman’s Perspective

If you take yourself out of the equation, and look at the situation strictly from the doorman’s point of view, it is a key to understanding this sudden change of demeanor. Yes, the doorman makes a union salary, but even the union calculates that a certain percentage of income will be derived from tips. It is a tradition in NYC rentals that is expected, and the amount of the tip is relative to the type rents and the type service provided.

A doorman deals with all the tenants from wealthy to poor, yet his services are very much the same in all buildings. He is your defense to the street, he is security, and he is your helper. He flags down cabs when you need help. He is the buffer between you and the building super or building management because he usually hears your complaints before you bother writing a letter or making a phone call. He helps you into the building, and sometimes your apartment, if you’ve had too much to drink, and he’s good about telling that ex boyfriend that you aren’t home when you really are. All of these things require his time, and his talents. Not all doormen are created equal so if you have a good one or several, honor them!

Why Christmas Tipping Is Important

Beyond the obvious services that a doorman provides for you, there are many times during the year that he is helpful with packages, deliveries or the odd chore you need help with, and you don’t always have a $20 to give him. Think of the Christmas tip as making up for all the times he provided extra service. Admit it. Having a doorman is a great asset and you do use his skills.

It doesn’t matter whether your doorman is a third generation building employee or whether he’s some guy who used to have a job on Wall Street. He wears a uniform and he does his job, and he greets you once or more times a day. You see more of him than you do a lot of people on your Christmas list so don’t forget him with a holiday tip. Oh, a bottle of whiskey is nice to give at Christmas time, but doormen depend on cash. A greeting, a kind word now and then, and a nice fat envelope at the holiday time is the proper way to have a good relationship with him.